## **Corsham Connections** **www.corshamconnections.co.uk** **Reg Charity: 1200941** **Report of the Trustees and unaudited Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2025** ## **Trustees** Charity law requires that all Trustees shall retire from office at the first Annual General Meeting. [At subsequent Annual General meetings one-third of the charity trustees shall retire from office, the number being chosen by lot if there are more than three. The charity trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment.] Any person who retires as a charity trustee is eligible for re-appointment. ## **Date Appointed** Caroline Baker Simon Tatton-Brown Kirstine Selman Sally Avison Simon Burrell Jonathan Goodwin Justin Temblett-Wood Chair 08.11.2022 Secretary 08.11.2022 Treasurer 08.11.2022 08.07.2023 08.11.2022 08.11.2022 08.07.2023 1 of 8 ## **Objects** To promote social inclusion for the public benefit in Wiltshire by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society. ## **Governing Document** The Charity is governed by a Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than its charity trustees, dated 26 October 2022. The Charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 8 November 2022. ## **Policies** The Charity has agreed the following policies: Safeguarding Policy; Complaints Policy; Volunteer Policy; Anti-harassment and Bullying; Data Protection; Equal Opportunities; Lone Working; Whistleblowing; Health & Safety. Page 2 of 8 ## **Chair’s Report** Our business plan was written in April 2019 when Corsham Connections was merely a vision and there were no statutory services identifying and addressing the need for individual support to connect with local community (later termed “social prescribing”). It reads :- “Research is proving the close and profound impact of loneliness and isolation on health across society: Chronic loneliness can increase your risk of premature death by up to a quarter. Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. People with a high degree of loneliness are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as people with a low degree of loneliness. Deficiencies in social relationships are associated with an increased risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease and stroke. When isolated people who have health problems are supported by community groups and volunteers there appears to be a dramatic reversing this trend: Those with strong social relationships had a 50% lower chance of death across the average study period (7.5 years) than those with weak connections across age, sex, initial health status, cause of death, and follow-up period. The impact of social relationships are more effective than giving up smoking, drinking, diet, exercise etc. Page 3 of 8 When isolated people who have health problems are supported the number of emergency admissions to hospital falls spectacularly. Compassionate Frome project was launched in 2013 by Helen Kingston, GP and has demonstrated that, while across the whole of Somerset emergency hospital admissions rose by 29% during the three years of the study, in Frome they fell by 17%. This accounts in real terms to a 46% reduction (6). ## GOALS: A close working relationship with NHS services in which the patient is at the centre and in control of their environment. A reduction in social isolation, loneliness and vulnerability. This is achieved by assisting people develop a personalised plan for their long term well-being that incorporates what matters to them across community and social networks. A service which will ultimately cover all ages and groups of adults, wherever there is need for social connection. Co-working between connectors and individuals with the common goal of supported self-management and independence. There may be attendant benefits such as reduced crisis hospital admissions or A&E attendances, or being able to stay at home for longer. Page 4 of 8 So is Corsham Connections fulfilling its vision? I would say emphatically “yes”, albeit in a small way at present. Over the last year, Corsham Connections has had 10 new potential volunteers and 26 enquiries, of which 7 have had Connector support. The service has adapted to meet changes in the local situation and continues to do so, liaising with local community groups and services including local businesses in the best interests of those in our community who are struggling with isolation. And we wish to continue growing in order to reach more people. What we offer is life-changing and we have watched people being transformed by our help. We can use more volunteers in all capacities to achieve this so do join us! ## Thank you. CAROLINE BAKER Chair of Trustees January 2026 _Trustees & Volunteers at St Bartholomew’s Christmas Tree Festival 2025_ Page 5 of 8 ## **CORSHAM CONNECTIONS Balance Sheet to 31 December 2025** Page 6 of 8 ## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31 December 2025** ## **Notes on the Accounts** We should state that charities with a gross income of less than £25,000 are exempted from the requirement to have their accounts audited or independently examined, and those with an income of less than Page 7 of 8 £10,000 are only are asked to complete the annual return for certain items (a declaration of income and expenditure). GROOP is the digital platform trustees and volunteer connectors use to post their reports, contact each other, view posts and other information etc. KIRSTINE SELMAN Treasurer, Jan 2026 Page 8 of 8